A Deeper Look: Crook County

Crooked River Rocks, Crook County, OR

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:6 NIV

Crook County is the final county we will look at in the Central Oregon Region. Geographically, it is the center of the state, although less populated than Deschutes, it has played a crucial role in the development of this region of Oregon.

We explored some of the early history here.

Prineville is the county seat, and the economy has been given a boost by companies, including Facebook and Apple, building data storage facilities in the area.

Crook County, OR

The present Prineville Christian Church dates from October, 1953, and has been at the present location, on SE Lynn Blvd, since 1954. However, various forms of the Christian Church have been in existence since the 1880’s or earlier. According to their website, the church has variously been known as Prineville Church of Christ, Christian Church, and Prineville Community Church. There was a Christian Church in 1913 on N. Beaver Street. As early as 1879 a young man, Troy Shelley, was holding services for the Prineville group. It is recorded that his wife, Anne, frequently took his place in the pulpit and did a good job of preaching. (This was mentioned in a Christian Church magazine the Christian Messenger, February, 1879)

In our earlier post of Crook County we mentioned Alice Day Pratt, a single woman homesteader in Crook County. Woman preachers were as rare in the 1880’s as woman homesteaders, but Crook County seems to have welcomed both.

Her husband, Troy Shelley, was born in 1845 and moved with his parents from Iowa in 1848. He would have been three years old. Some accounts say his parents, Michael and Sera Shelley, were founding members of one of the earliest Christian or Church of Christ churches, the Pleasant Hill Church in Lane County, established in 1850. Troy had already been preaching a couple of years when he and Anne were married at the church’s annual meeting at Rickreall (Polk County) in 1871. He was 26, she was 20. Apparently, they spent the early years of their marriage being itinerant preachers around central and eastern Oregon, as accounts mention her preaching elsewhere in Oregon. In 1882, when they were in their thirties, they settled in Odell, Oregon (Hood River County), had a very large family, and remained there for the rest of their lives. Anne became the first schoolteacher in Odell. They both lived into their eighties.

West of Prineville is the unincorporated community of Powell Butte. Another Christian Church has been in established since 1945. This church, in existence for over 75 years, recently got some exposure in the local press from continuing a tradition that started in 1947 called The Lord’s Acre Day. The church that began in 1945 was meeting in a schoolhouse but needed to build their own building. To raise needed funds, they started the Lord’s Acre Day which was based on the concept of tithing an acre of produce from members’ farms. This was sold to the community in the form of a feast (barbequed meats, pies, etc.) Currently they host about 2000 people at their annual event and funds, originally used to build the church, are used for missions and Bible school scholarships.

Like Deschutes County, Crook has seen a rise in drug trafficking from the Portland area. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office is headed by Sheriff John Goutney who oversees 55 law enforcement and support personnel. Their moto is Honor. Service. Justice. Above all integrity.

How do we pray for Crook County?

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the Children of God. Matthew 5:9 NIV

The county is governed under the County Court system with Seth Crawford as County Judge and Commissioners Jerry Brummer and Brian Barney. Pray for their wisdom and discernment.

Pray for the Sheriff’s office and Sheriff John Gourtney. The county has seen increases in drug trafficking and now a series of wildfires.

Pray for all the churches of Crook County.